8-14 - Community Alliance

8
Loan Shark of the
Year!
APRIL 2006
By Mike Rhodes
Money Mart was given the “Loan Shark of the Year”
award for their predatory loan practices in the Fresno
area. A brief ceremony was held at the company’s
Manchester Mall facility as members from ACORN, a
local community group, handed the manager a certificate and miniature shark to symbolize Money Mart’s
ruthless business practices.
In a press release, ACORN said they would present
Money Mart with a “Loan Shark of the Year” Award
for “gouging customers through predatory payday
lending, criminal check-cashing fees, and rip-off refund
loans.”
“This company’s entire business is based on gouging
people in need,” said ACORN member Jamie Wilson,
“and we aren’t going to take it anymore.”
The ACORN press release continues: “The interest rates
on Money Mart’s payday loans range from 266% to
912%. While Money Mart says payday loans help people
ACORN activists delivered the “Loan Shark of the Year” award to Money Mart, located inside the Manchester Center
in a one-time emergency, ACORN charges that payday
mall. Photos by Mike Rhodes.
loans get people deeper in debt and that Money Mart’s
profits come from customers who can’t pay the loans
back and so are forced to repeatedly renew the loans
The Fresno action was one of 30 held across the United
and pay additional interest.
States and Canada. For more information about ACORN
Free Tax Service Centers aka: VITA (VOLUNTARY
“A $300 payday loan from Money Mart costs $352.50. If and their attack on predatory lending practices, see
INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE) Sites so individuals may
after two weeks the customer can’t pay the full amount, <www.acorn.org>.
Now - April 15
they pay the $52.50 finance charge and Money Mart
rolls the loan over for two more weeks. If, as in many For more information about Fresno ACORN:
cases, this continues for three months, the customer
will have paid Money Mart $341 in interest and still ACORN
3636 N First #139
owe the entire $352.50 loan amount.
Fresno CA 93726
“Money Mart is the second largest payday lender in Ph (559) 222-9013
the country, behind Advance America, and the second Fax (559 222-9159
[email protected]
largest check casher, behind ACE Cash Express.”
After the Loan Shark of the Year presentation, Manchester Mall security descended upon the scene and Director of Security William Steproe told this Community Alliance reporter that they had a policy against anyone
taking photos in the mall. About the same time, an angry Money Mart manager demanded that the photos
be deleted or she would file a lawsuit. When Steproe
was asked to provide a copy of the mall’s policy on free
speech and access to the mall by the media, he said
there was not a written policy. “The policy is just given
verbally,” Steproe said. The members of ACORN and
this reporter were not intimidated.
file their taxes and claim their EITC (Earned
Income Tax Credit)
Fresno ACORN will be operating these sites at
their office from January 25-April 15, 2006
Specifically on Mon, Wed & Fri from 4-8pm.
And on Sat 2 - 6 pm.
Fresno Acorn
3636 N. First Street Suite 139 • Fresno, CA 93726
T:(559) 222-9013 • F: (559) 221-0704
www.acorn.org
QUEER EYE
By Dan Waterhouse
This year’s legislature session
features three bills of interest to
the state’s queer community, especially queer youth. Two of the
bills focus on school safety and the third attempts to
address bias in the justice system.
The California Teachers Association announced on
January 10 (the day before the bill was due to be heard
in committee) that the union would actively work
against the bill if mandatory training sessions for teachers remained a part of the legislation. That language
was stripped from the bill before it was approved by
the Assembly and sent to the state senate where it
Centrist political observers opine that the proposals awaits action.
(particularly the school safety bills) are feel-good measures that won’t accomplish much in the long term. AB 606 provoked a telephone campaign by right-wing
And, in a way, I can’t argue with them.
groups intent upon its defeat.
Queer youth and straight youth allies visited the state The other school bill, Senate Bill 1437 (the Bias-Free
capitol on March 6 to lobby legislators to pass the two Curriculum Act) would prohibit instruction or activischool bills.
ties that “reflects adversely upon persons because of
their race or ethnicity, gender, disability, nationality,
Assembly Bill 606 (the Safe Place to Learn Act) is the sexual orientation, or religion.” The bill has yet to be
major school safety bill of the two. AB 606 is an at- heard in committee.
tempt to implement several recommendations that the
AB 537 (California Student Safety and Violence Pre- The criminal justice bill was introduced following what
vention Act) task force made in 2001. The task force was regarded as an extremely lenient sentence in a
recommended that clear written policies be adopted Fresno County murder case. The killer of Joel Robles, a
and enforced; all school staff be informed and trained transgendered Fresnan, was sentenced to the minimum
on the law’s requirements; guidance be provided to stu- term (for manslaughter) of four years in prison after
dents about their rights and responsibilities; and anti- his attorney introduced the “transgender panic” debias education programs be developed for students.
fense into the case.
AB 606 as originally introduced would have required
school districts to establish and publicize a policy that
prohibits discrimination and harassment; update all
publications relating to school safety, bullying, tolerance, bias-motivated behavior, and hate-related violence; provide mandatory training to school staff; and
maintain documentation of all complaints of discrimination and harassment.
Money Mart has the dubious honor of being the “Loan
Shark of the Year” in Fresno.
The original intent of AB 1160 was to bar the use of
“panic defenses” in criminal cases and to ensure that
juries be instructed not to allow personal bias to influence their verdict. The criminal defense bar objected,
saying that defendants must be allowed to explain their
state of mind—which goes to evidence of intent. The
objectionable language was stripped out, leaving a
watered-down bill with little if any teeth.
The bill also proposed that the Superintendent of In- All three bills are waiting for further action in the legstruction be allowed to use all legal means to “effect islature. Assembly Bills 606 and 1160 may be heard in
compliance” with the law, “including but not limited Senate committees after March 25, and SB1437.
to the withholding of all or part of relevant state fiscal
support of the school district.”
9
Cities Strip Away “Safe and Affordable Access” for Medical Marijuana Patients in the Central Valley
By Nick Osborne
APRIL 2006
In 1996 California voters passed Proposition 215 (also
known as the Compassionate Use Act), which gave
patients the right to legally use marijuana medically.
Health & Safety Code 1362.5(c) specifically “encourages
the Federal and State governments to implement a plan
to provide for the safe and affordable distribution of
marijuana to all patients in medical need of marijuana.”
Looking around the Valley, one might wonder if anyone has actually read H&S Section 11362.5(c). Some cities in the Valley have, or are considering, bans on medical marijuana dispensaries.
Cities such as Fresno have prevented dispensaries from
opening. Attorney Bill McPike, along with Americans
for Safe Access (ASA), a grassroots patients’ rights organization, is currently suing the city of Fresno due to
the ban on dispensaries.
Fresno is not the only city to implement such bans on
dispensaries. Recently, Clovis, Modesto, Turlock, and
Merced have all followed suit with similar ordinances.
With most of the medical marijuana dispensaries located near the Bay Area, some patients are hard-pressed
to get their needed medicine.
Cities placing bans on dispensaries in the Valley are
stripping away patients’ “safe and affordable access”
to marijuana.
What does this mean for patients? The situation looks
grim, as more dispensaries are raided and shut down
by the Feds (note the recent sweep of dispensaries in
Southern and Northern California).
California Central
Valley Journey for
Justice 2006
By Gloria M. Sandoval
In the spirit of Martin Luther King’s historic March on
Washington DC in the 1960’s and the 1966 Cesar Chavez’
United Farm Workers March from Delano to Sacramento,
the California Central Valley Journey for Justice seeks to
shine a moral spotlight on community issues and poverty.
The Journey for Justice will consist of a chain of events
from Visalia to Sacramento from April 13 through April
20, 2006. There will be presentations, music, cultural and
educational exchanges for the whole family.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has shown that if
people do not band together and take action to protect
themselves, no one else will do it for them. We believe in
a world with health care for all, education for all, sustenance for the poor, human rights for all, and an end to
abuses in the criminal justice system.
Co-sponsoring organizations for this event are seeking
endorsements. Participate and Join Us!
Merced Labor Party - (209) 631-6461
California National Action Network (559) 264-0097
Community Homeless Alliance Ministry (408) 294-5563
California Poor Peoples’ Economic Human Rights
Campaign/WEAP - (510) 451-7379
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for
the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary
social services…” Article 25, United Nations’ Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, December 10, 1948
Fresno has prevented medical marijuana dispensaries from opening, yet the plant is being grown here.
Photographer would like to remain anonymous.
One thing is certain: there are thousands of patients
nationwide who use medical marijuana. At least eleven
states have already passed laws in support of medical
marijuana, and more states are continuing to look closer
at this issue. Eventually the nation might see a headto-head battle between the states and the federal government.
dispensary on the outskirts of Modesto called “The
Healthy Choice,” located at 4213 McHenry; the cross
street is Pelendale.
It remains uncertain what cities and counties will stand
up for patient’s rights, and protect the Americans who
are some of their most needy citizens. A good way to
start is to begin honest open dialog. With all the knowlWhile patients wait, they may be wondering, Where edge and technology available in the world today, we
should be able to find a way to regulate medicinal marithen can they get their medicine?
juana.
There are still a few ways to get those needed meds.
One way is to go to any the following Web sites to get Until this very ambiguous legal situation is resolved
information about and locations of dispensaries, col- between state and federal jurisdiction, medical marijuana patients will live in a state of uncertainty, in a
lectives, and caregivers in your area:
country known as “The Land of the Free.”
Compassionate Coalition <http://
[email protected]/>
###
CANORML <http://www.canorml.org/>
ASA <http://www.safeaccessnow.org/>
Nick Osborne is a certified anger management facilitator, and
Another way to get those needed meds would be to president of the Merced County Patients Coalition. You can
take a drive to Stanislaus County. I recently visited a reach Nick at [email protected].
Poetry Corner
We have received two poems based on a deep consciousness of the natural order that underlies all our
endeavoring. We present them both.
SENTRY, by “Kalypso”
This rock has lain for centuries
and hugs its mother, Earth,
listening for the footsteps
of those who tread its turf.
It has witnessed countless battles,
many won and many lost:
I wonder if it measures
the grieving and the cost.
The bones that lie beneath it
are a testament to man,
and his recurrent struggle
that long ago began.
The rock has never ventured,
it must be moved by force;
perhaps this too is wisdom
from yet another source.
MAY LEAVES, by Steve Malm
May leaves rustle,
Fall to spring,
Then a seedling,
Under way.
Soon barked,
Needled,
Pine.
In time,
Measured line,
Upset climb;
Quivers of Arrows
Pointed Spires
Still rising,
To groundless height.
An unbent thicket given up to the sky,
Scattered light through the red forest,
Displaced darkness on damp, flor-steppes,
And an uneasy mist ran down the incline,
Passed the wood’s edged refrain,
And settled at the base of the mountain.
Bending arms of oak outstretch,
And press the firmament,
Where a winded whisper resounded,
From a lofty branch rebounded,
Another leaf let down.
10
We’re fortunate. However, attendance tends to drop in the springtime—we hope to overcome that tendency and
encourage a good turnout for the April and May concerts.
GARNET ROGERS
Friday, April 7, at 7:30 PM.
$15 & $20
APRIL 2006
<www.garnetrogers.com>
We heard Garnet Rogers at the Kate Wolf festival last year where he was a featured performer and were so
impressed with his musicianship, his deep baritone voice, his powerful but gentle stage presence (he’s close to
six and half feet tall), his poetic lyrics, we wanted to share our enthusiasm with the Fresno community. First
time in Fresno.
“A brilliant songwriter. One of the major talents of our time.”
—Boston Globe
“The greatest interpreter and vocalist performing in the contemporary
folk scene.” —Sing Out!
FFS Concert News
By Pat Wolk
Fresno Folklore Society keeps bringing you breathtaking performances by exceptional artists at affordable
prices in the exquisite, intimate Bonner Auditorium.
Top-notch traveling musicians have heard of our museum and Fresno receptions and want to perform here.
Fresno Residents
Demand Clean Air
By Mike Rhodes
“I have found strength and comfort in his songs. This is good and rich and big
music. Welcome one and all. Come on in. Get down.”
--Greg Brown
Tickets: $15 advance; $20 at door
Available at The Movies, Patrick’s Music, National Hardware, Fresno Art Museum Gift
Shoppe or phone Pat, 431-3653
next to our school. It is time for Fresno to put public
health before private profit.”
According to the American Lung Association (ALA),
numerous studies have linked diesel exhaust to cancer,
the exacerbation of asthma, and other respiratory diseases. ALA also found that truck and traffic intensity,
and exhaust measured in schools, were significantly
associated with chronic respiratory symptoms. A recent study of the FUSD “Yellow Card Data” found that
Addams Elementary had the third highest asthma rates
in the district.
Children, their parents, and community allies are rallying for clean air in Fresno. Standing on McKinley just
West of highway 99, on a street already congested with
heavy traffic, the group called on Fresno City officials
to rezone the area so Rosenbalm Rockery, a Clovis concrete and soils processing facility, can’t relocate to a lot
Rey León, senior policy analyst for the Latino Issues
directly across the street from the school.
Forum notes, “The concrete company will increase dieThis coalition is concerned that the new facility will sel traffic in a low-income, underserved area already
compound existing health problems that children at- compromised by air pollution and extremely high rates
tending Addams elementary school already have, and of pediatric asthma. That the City did not notify resiare angry that the City issued a permit for the new dents to inform them of the proposed relocation and
facility without conducting an environmental review that they issued a conditional-use permit without conand without notifying the school or nearby residents. ducting a full environmental review speaks to their
They are demanding that the City of Fresno revoke the disregard for the health of Fresno’s communities and
conditional use permit issued to Rosenbalm Rockery their lack of commitment to enforcing the California
and rezone the Addams neighborhood to ban future Environmental Quality Act and other critical laws intended to protect the health and well being of all Caliindustrial development in the area.
fornia communities.”
“We are already suffering from the large number of
polluting facilities located in our community,” says Diaz said the students, parents, and community allies
Tony Diaz, coordinator of the Addams Neighborhood will gather on the corner of McKinley and Hughes across
Resource Center. “We are bombarded with diesel ex- from Addams Elementary (near Highway 99) at 3:15
haust and other air pollution from the 99, the railroad, PM each Wednesday to express their outrage at the
and two large distribution centers, including the UPS. City’s actions and demand that immediate action be
The last thing we need is another polluting industry taken to protect community health.
Parents, students, and community allies are calling on the City of Fresno to rezone the area so Rosenbalm Rockery, a Clovis concrete and soils processing facility, can’t relocate to
a lot directly across the street from the school. All photos by Mike Rhodes.
By Mike Rhodes
[Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series of articles that
the Community Alliance will print about the 2006 elections. Future articles will include more details about incumbent voting records, the positions of candidates running for local office, and how progressives can win political power in this area.]
The Green Party candidate in the 21st congressional district, John Miller, said, “I support a phased pull-out of US
troops from Iraq, but we must try to correct some of the
damage we have caused, perhaps by use of United Nations or other truly multinational forces. Those responsible for this war and the atrocities that have occurred
should be held accountable.” Miller said “this war was
not just about WMD or democracy and freedom or whatever other line Bush wished to use on the American people,
it was also about the power of the military-industrial
complex and our desire to control Middle Eastern oil. If
we were using solar energy and other alternatives to
petroleum, perhaps this whole mess could have been
avoided.”
The upcoming June and November 2006 elections are
being looked at by many progressives as the way to
turn the tide against the conservative juggernaut that
has taken over this country and local politics.
T. J. Cox, who is running against Radanovich in the 19th
district said, “The war in Iraq was an appalling way to
Lydia Flores, chair of the Central Valley Progressive Po- enter the 21st century. The war is a sinkhole of lives,
litical Action Committee (CVPPAC), says, “We need to money, and morality. The current situation must end
unite around a strategy that will empower poor and now—our troops need to get out of the business of naworking people in this community.” The CVPPAC would tion-building.”
like to see a broad coalition built that would bring together progressive community groups, organized labor, The Peace and Freedom Party, which is committed to
and individuals to elect local candidates.
socialism, democracy, ecology, feminism and racial equality, has a local candidate in the 29th California Assembly
Cynthia Gonzalez, who is running against Republican district. John Crockford says he is “running to offer a
Judy Case in the Board of Supervisors race in District 4 choice for voters to elect a pro-labor candidate with spe(see map), describes herself as a progressive Democrat. cific goals of promoting and supporting legislation that
Flores says people are really getting excited about this provides for a better life for the many of us who live by
race because “it would change the balance of power on our labor. As a legislator in the State Assembly, I will
the Board of Supervisors.”
work toward a California where cooperation replaces
competition, where all people are well fed, clothed, and
Lloyd Carter, a local progressive and expert on water housed; where all women and men have equal status;
issues, said he has met with Gonzalez and is really ex- and where all individuals may freely endeavor to fulfill
cited about her campaign. “I have talked with her about their own talents and desires.”
water issues and I was tremendously impressed,” Carter
said. Some political analysts have suggested that this is Because City Council member Tom Boyajian, who repthe race to watch in the June primary, because a win resents District 1, is termed out, there is a lot of interest
here would have a huge impact on Fresno County poli- in that race. All five candidates have been invited to a
candidate forum, which will be held on April 8, where
tics.
they will be asked about their positions on issues that
There are two Democrats running for Congress, who are are important to the progressive community. See sidebar
challenging Republican incumbents. T. J. Cox is running for details. Cynthia Sterling is running for re-election in
against George Radanovich in the 19th congressional City Council District 3. Widely viewed as a friend of the
district. Steve Haze is running in the 21st congressional progressive community, Sterling has been a strong supdistrict against Devin Nunes. John Miller, a Green Party porter of the Independent Police Auditor proposal. She
candidate, is also running in the 21st district race. One is being challenged by Ignacio Garibay and Manuel Toissue of critical interest to progressive voters in this area ledo. City council members Mike Dages and Henry T.
is where these candidates stand on the war in Iraq. The Perea are running unopposed.
incumbents, Nunes and Radanovich, are both staunch
supporters of the Bush administration’s war in Iraq, Lydia Flores, chair of the CVPPAC, says, “The best you
can expect in the Fresno City Council races is to mainwhich more than 80% of Americans oppose.
tain the status quo. In other words, none of the really
Haze, who is running against Nunes, said, “I believed conservative members on the council are up for election.
that we had made a grave error to pre-emptively en- The best we can hope for is to maintain the current balgage in a war with Iraq because Saddam Hussein was ance of power and not allow the conservatives to gain
contained with the no-fly zones, there were no verifi- influence.”
able weapons of mass destruction, Iraq was under a UN
mandated Oil for Food and Medicine Program, and billi- Pete Mehas, superintendent of the Fresno County Office
ons of dollars did not have to be diverted from domestic of Education (FCOE), is retiring and this will lead to a
programs.” Haze claims that the resolution passed in contested election in June. Mehas, a conservative RepubCongress to authorize the war in Iraq is illegal and thus lican, is supporting Larry Powell. Larry Wilder, who
null and void. He said “There is a very good book called teaches at Fresno Pacific University, is generally perThe Art of War by Sun Tzu in which the greatest premise ceived as the more acceptable candidate to the progresfor achieving victory and the most ideal strategy is the sive community in this race. The Fresno Unified School
Cynthia Gonzalez is running for the District 4 Board of
Supervisors seat.
Saturday, April 8
10 AM–2 PM
Central Valley Progressive PAC to Hold
Local Candidates’ Forum
The Central Valley Progressive Political Action
Committee (CVPPAC) will be holding a candidates’ forum at the Unitarian-Universalist Church
of Fresno, 4144 N. Millbrook Ave, (1/2 block south
of Ashlan). This is a great opportunity to personally see and question the candidates make a difference in the June 6, 2006, primary election.
Some races will likely be decided without a runoff vote in the November general election.
Candidates for the following nonpartisan races
are being invited to participate:
Fresno City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7
Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 1
and 4
Fresno County Assessor-Recorder, AuditorController/Treasurer, County Clerk, District
Attorney, Public Administrator/Coroner, Sheriff,
and Superintendent of County Schools.
The forum is co-sponsored by the UUCF’s Social
Justice Committee and is open to the general
public free of charge. This forum is presented as
an educational opportunity to help voters learn
more about the candidates and their positions
on important issues. No endorsement vote will be
taken at this forum. The candidates will be allowed a short opening statement and participate
in a question and answer period. Child care and
light refreshments will be provided. While there
will be no charge to attend the forum, donations
will be accepted to help defray expenses. Forum
details will be posted later this month at
<www.cvppac.org>.
Saturday, April 29
2–4 PM
The League of Women Voters, Preschool California, and Fresno Pacific University are co-sponsoring a dual forum. The two candidates for Fresno
County Superintendent of Schools will speak, and
an official from Preschool California will present
a nonpartisan analysis of Proposition 82, the Preschool for All initiative. This event will be held at
Ashley Hall, which is in McDonald Hall (the main
building) at Fresno Pacific. No charge.
District (FUSD) elections will be held in November.
There will be many other races and initiatives on the
ballot in June and November.
Future issues of the Community Alliance will go into more
detail about local and statewide races. We will tell you
what the candidates’ positions on the issues are, who is
being endorsed by progressive organizations, and how
you can become involved in standing up for democracy
and restoring progressive values in the political arena.
APRIL 2006
Who gets elected has a life-or-death impact on our lives.
Elected officials will decide whether we go to war,
whether air quality will be improved in the Central Valley, and whether home healthcare workers are paid a
living wage. Do you want to elect another county sheriff
that spies on peace activists and students at CSUF? City
council members that are opposed to police accountability? Congress members that support the Bush
administration’s war in Iraq?
following: ‘To win without fighting is best.’ We are now
in a senseless and brutal situation—which requires leadership on how to resolve this conflict without any further loss of innocent lives.”
Local Candidate
Forums to Be Held
in Fresno
11
A Political Earthquake—Elections 2006
12
APRIL 2006
2006 Elections in Colombia
COMMUNITIES SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS
ond-class citizens, we are stereotyped and we are victims of discrimination and ethnic violence.” As an
example, Gomez Baos cites that during the Holocaust
tens of thousands of Gypsies were killed by the Nazis.
“Vote? What for? Politicians use the government as if it were their own
private enterprise!”—A Bogota taxi driver
By Eduardo Stanley
SPECIAL FOR COMMUNITY ALLIANCE
Gomez Baos consideres her candidacy as a starting
point for her community and allies. Her agenda
includes creation of jobs and affordable housing, and
respect for ethnic and indigenous communities. “This
would be part of an all-inclusive development plan to
generate a better distribution of wealth.”
“We need far-reaching tax reform to face up to the growing gaps in society,” says Orsinia Polanco Jusayu, a
Wayuu indigenous activist. “Uribe’s government
invests more in the war, but we need greater investment in social issues.” In Colombia there are 12 million
indigenous people belonging to 84 communities. ProThese elements—FTA and tecting their identities is an issue that brought some of
how to deal with social vio- these communities to support Gomez Baos.
lence— divides Colombia’s
Within this context of political alliances, the case of the
society.
Raizales is particularly interesting. This indigenous
“The FTA is a free enterprise group lives on San Andres and Providence (islands in
project that will make us the Colombian Caribbean). They owe their existence to
more dependent on the English settlers who brought the Baptist religion to the
United States,” said Borja community, as well as to the African slaves and the
Diaz, an opinion shared by indigenous Moskito people who lived there. At present,
several analysts represent- the Raizales fear the very real threat of expropriation
ing different political ten- of their lands for the benefit of the international tourist
dencies. All are in agreement industry.
that the economic model
proposed by the FTA will not “Back in time, there was no poverty in the islands,”
help in resolving a very dif- comments Charlene Williams, a Raizal who now lives
ficult situation reflecting in Bogota. “The Colombian military took over the isample social fragmenta- lands, and there are now 11 military bases there.”
tion—such as what occurred
in Mexico when that coun- Lack of development, coupled with scarcity of economic
try signed a 1994 free-trade opportunities, has led members of the Raizal commuagreement with Canada and nity to immigrate to other parts of the country. They
A polling place in Bogota.
the United States. In Colom- also seek autonomy to promote and guarantee equal
All photos by Eduardo Stanley
bia, according to Borja Diaz, development, as well as education and training for
12 percent of the population employment.
is unemployed; 40 percent are underemployed; 50 perAfter all, absenteeism was about 57 percent, and the cent are without access to health care; and more than “The main goal of our alliance has produced results,
creating a broader base for participation among
predictable winners started to show their smiles on 60 percent are living in poverty.
women, blacks, ethnic groups, and other sectors of socamera. The Congressional elections were considered a
ciety who have traditionally held back
referendum on President Alvaro Uribe and
from participating,” said Karmen
his plans to get Colombia in line with US
Ramirez Boscan, an indigenous Wayuu
trade policy, to get tough on the guerrilla
leader.
movement, and to implement an internal
agenda that looks and sounds very much
Numerous groups and organizations are
like Bush’s—including privatizing almost
participating in this effort at raising conevery state-owned corporation, privatizsciousness. “I believe that Gomez Baos’s
ing health care, and giving the religious seccandidacy has broken through the patritor more influence in education.
archal structure of politics, just as she did
within her own community,” commented
Six political parties supported this agenda,
Irma Luz Pinzon, an activist who, in the
including the traditional Conservative
face of the always-present specter of war,
party, which took second place in this elecchampions a culture of peace in Colomtion. The president himself created his own
bia.
organization, called Partido de la “U” (after Uribe), which ended up as the front run“Personally, her candidacy attracted me
ner. In third place, was the other traditional
because it exposed society to aspects of
party (considered the big loser), the Liberal
the Gypsy culture that people are not
Party. In fifth place, the left was represented
aware of,” added Pinzon. She explains
by Polo Democratico.
that the Gypsy culture is libertarian,
“because it is not tied to the land—ownThe outcome of the elections couldn’t be any
Karmen
Ramirez
Boscan,
Wayuu
leader
ership and exploitation of the land lead
better for those in power. The “Uribistas”
to wars.”
(supporters of president Uribe) obtained the
majority in both chambers. In the Senate, 61 Uribistas “The FTA was approved from above, with no public
will hold sway over the 39 in the opposition. Among consultation,” says Dalila Gomez Baos, a Gypsy who “I believe that we are building something more than
ran unsuccesfully for Senate. “Its implementation will intercultural alliances,” said Gomez Baos with a smile,
representatives, the proportion is about the same.
her colorful long skirt covering the chair and soft hand
increase marginalization in our communities.”
gestures exposing her rings. “This is what our society
This good news for President Uribe and the White
House came at a time when Colombia’s Congress still Somewhat fragile in appearance, this Gypsy woman, a is supposed to be, and I feel optimistic.”
needs to approve the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with single mother who is “a little
the United States and just two months before presi- older than 30,” speaks enthudential elections in which Uribe will run for reelec- siastically in both Spanish
tion—a move that required a Constitutional change and Roma (the Gypsy
language) about the ethnic
strongly criticized by the opposition.
communities that supUribe’s triumph was certainly celebrated in Washing- ported her candidacy, rangton as its own. Soon Congress will discuss the renewal ing from Afro-Colombians
of Plan Colombia—a multi-million-dollar intelligence and women to members of
and military involvement in that country, with the indigenous groups.
pretext of controlling drug trafficking.
Colombian Gypsies number
“The real issue here is to control the guerrillas and any scarcely around 5,000. Their
other social movement,” said Wilson Borja Diaz, a Polo presence on the national
Democratico representative who successfully ran for scene is nearly invisible, in
reelection. While Uribe strongly supports US involve- part due to their permanent
ment, the opposition calls for a more precise and itinerant state. Gomez Baos
aggressive peace dialogue with the guerrillas. But is, perhaps, the first woman
Colombia’s social violence has other components—such of Gypsy descent in Colomas the powerful “Paramilitares,” a counter-guerrilla bia to have completed a unimovement created by the establishment and trained versity degree, having
by the military about two decades ago. This movement graduated in engineering.
Former candidate and Gypsy activist, Dalila Gomez Baos
became a monster with several heads— it quickly “We are still treated like secBOGOTA, Colombia— On Sunday, March 12, the sun
was shining and the weather was good, so many
Colombians started marching to the polls by the thousands—some observers expected the traditional voter
absenteeism to be overcome by a good turnout. But in
the late afternoon, Bogota’s skies darkened.
spread around the country, well armed and several
thousand strong. Associated with narcotrafficking, it
was accused by several international human rights
organizations with torture and crimes against people—
mostly against civil and labor rights activists.
13
Local Think Tank Begins Series of Articles in the Community Alliance
Some of our region’s best analysts are fellows of the Central California Institute, our local progressive think tank. To provide a forum for the work of our fellows
and kindred spirits, we have contracted with the Alliance for an initial series of five articles on subjects of local importance. The continuation of the Institute
depends on the interest and support of the community. To utilize the expertise of the fellows, to comment on the work of the Institute, and/or to provide
financial underwriting, contact CCI c/o FCNV, 1584 N. Van Ness, Fresno 93728 or call Ray Ensher at 439-8140.
NAFTA: Who Wins (and who loses)
James M. Cypher
Yet, the sitting presidents of both Mexico and the United
States laud supposed positive effects of the pact that
was pushed into existence by the promises of the economic elites of the two countries. For the United States,
200,000 new jobs were to be created. Later, prices would
fall from cheaper Mexican produced goods, and further
down the road the dynamic effects of the pact would
induce even more, and even better-paying jobs. The
promises were steeper in Mexico: Mexico would cease
(soon) to be a struggling, developing nation. Living standards would start to approximate those of the United
States, via some sort of convergence process.
by 274%. In other words, trade did not balance, and the
US trade deficit was $40.6 billion in 2003. In net terms,
the United States has lost about 1 million jobs (124,000
in California) as Mexican production has displaced US
production in autos, auto parts, consumer electronics,
computers and peripherals, textile and apparel, and
other areas. Ford, Chrysler, and GM stood behind
NAFTA, backed by auto parts giants such as Delphi.
The big push for NAFTA came above all from Detroit,
where the auto giants were unable to confront the insurgency of the Japanese producers. Getting to Mexico
meant dropping production workers’ wages by as
much as 50-70% in autos, and as much as 90% in textiles. (Textile workers in some plants in Northern Mexico
were making $90 US per month in late 2005—or 53
cents per hour).
It all makes a lot of sense. US companies wanted to
move to Mexico to cut wages and increase profits. In
the maquiladora border plants from 1993 to 2001 about
1 million jobs were created, with virtually all the
maquila output (your TV, your refrigerator, your stove,
your washing machine) being shipped to the United
States. The million US jobs lost were just about countered by 1 million jobs created in the maquilas—but
Presidents Vicente Fox and George Bush still hold to several hundred thousand jobs were also created in
this fantasy, ignoring the mountains of evidence that the non-maquilas (the vast auto plants, etc.).
demonstrate that NAFTA has been a device to partially
restructure the US economy and subordinate the Mexi- But, because the influx of US goods drove out many
small producers, overall manufacturing employment
can economy to the US economic agenda.
increased by only about 300,000 jobs between 1993 and
One thing that the advocates of NAFTA predicted has 2003. Mexico needs to find over 1 million jobs a year
come to pass—exports to Mexico have gone up in real just to keep unemployment levels constant. Two conterms by 114% (1994-2004), but imports have gone up sequences have flowed from all of this: First, wages in
Mexico would do more of what it did best (cheap labor
production) and the United States would do more of
what it did best (high-tech agriculture, technology-intensive activities). Trade would balance and (after some
initial shuffling of specializations) both nations would
be better off.
World Social Forum
2006, Karachi
By Dan Yaseen and Camille Russell
manufacturing are 15% below what they were in 1980!
Second, NAFTA’s failure to create adequate jobs in
Mexico has meant that immigration to the United State
has soared—to 437,000 per year, 2002-2004.
Meanwhile, the influx of cheap (subsidized) US agricultural products has wreaked havoc on the countryside, with an estimated 1.3 million small producers
driven from their land, now adding to the millions of
casual workers and street vendors (or the migrant outflow).
The winners are, of course, the very people who said
NAFTA would be good for us all: The auto sector, the
electronics firms such as Hewlett-Packard and GE, and
the giant food processors such as ADM, Cargill, and
Ralston. Citigroup has taken control of Banamex, and
Bank of America now partially owns Banco Serafin. In
Mexico the force behind the NAFTA agreement was
Mexican big business, which sought unlimited access
to the US market in their commodities-based specialties. Niche marketers like Cemex (cement), Alfa and
IMSA (steel products), Modelo (beer), and Peñoles (mining) have followed a strategy of retaining their monopolized specialties, while leaving the high-tech, capital-intensive manufacturing to (mostly) US firms.
Is the NAFTA debacle coming to a close? Disaffection
with NAFTA is widespread in Mexico: The presidential election of 2006 should lead to a new national development strategy if the top candidate (Andrés López
Obrador) can triumph.
by a poem of revolutionary Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed of Karachi. It was apparent that the City was eager to
Faiz. The opening plenary ended with a spectacular fire- change the image of Karachi by welcoming people from
works display.
over 58 countries in the world.
Our Peace Fresno T-shirts and signs attracted photographers from the media and free lancers. We were frequently
photographed. One of the pictures appeared in the leading
Pakistani English newspaper Dawn.
Issues covered included: humanism and peace, terrorism
and sectarian violence, local disputes, small arms and light
weapons proliferation, education, health care, freedom of
expression and speech. These issues were presented in
workshops mostly by groups from Pakistan and other
The primary venue for WSF2006 Karachi was the KMC
Sports Complex – an area of about 3 city blocks. Its athletic countries in the region.
courts and playing fields had been transformed for the The organizers of WSF2006 were able to recruit hundreds
six-day event by tents of varying sizes with the largest of youths from high schools, colleges, and universities in
seating up to 300.
Karachi to volunteer. The students did a wonderful job of
One of the surprises for us was the coverage of WSF2006 preparing the venue and helped at the registration and
Karachi by the mainstream media of Pakistan — both information booths. We had the opportunity to meet and
talk with several of these students. They were articulate,
television and press. All the TV networks have been reporting on the forum every day and all newspapers, En- enthusiastic, and friendly. Some students are interested in
glish and Urdu, have continued to provide extensive cov- starting peace groups on their campuses.
Fifteen thousand people filled the KMC Sports Complex
stadium for the opening plenary of the World Social Forum 2006 in Karachi. A stage with an impressive world
map backdrop displayed the theme “Another World is
Possible” in both English and Urdu. The program started
with a release of doves. It was followed by Pakistani regional folk singing and dancing by nationally known artists who brought the audience to their feet clapping and
dancing. The speakers included Pakistani-born, internationally acclaimed author Tariq Ali, Pakistani human
The topic of one of the workshops we attended was “Porights activist Asma Jehangir, Palestinian Jamal Juma, and erage.
speakers from Brazil, Ecuador, France, and India. Classical An event like WSF2006 couldn’t have happened in Karachi litical Islam: Challenges and Responses.” Panelists included
dancer Sheema Kirmani danced with her troupe, inspired without the full support of the City District Government Tariq Ali, Farooq Sulehria, and Jamal Juma. Jamal Juma
talked about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. He described
the horrendous situation of the Palestinians under Israeli
occupation. Tariq Ali and Farooq Sulehria talked in detail
about the political situation in Pakistan. They both lamented the fact that the secular parties have no voice in
Pakistani politics. Religious parties that had never been
popular with the people have gained prominence.
Another program we attended was on violence against
women. It was presented by Vimochana, a woman’s group
from Bangalore, India. One of the speakers was an Iraqi
woman. She provides medical services to Iraqis under siege
by the U.S. occupation forces. Both times when Fallujah
was attacked by U.S. forces she was there to offer relief.
She called on U.S. citizens to stop paying their taxes because that’s what is financing the U.S. military adventures in the Middle East. She pointed out that the Iraqis are
fighting for a cause – their land and their independence.
She said the U.S. soldiers are also the victims of the big
corporations who are the real beneficiaries of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
We attended a Women in Black candlelight vigil. The protest theme was “Women Against War and Wars Against
Women.”
There was a large representation of people from all four
provinces of Pakistan. There were very few North Americans. We were frequently stopped by people asking us
where we were from, and they were eager to engage us in
conversation. We found people young and old, men and
women, friendly and curious. People felt reassured to hear
that there is opposition in the U.S., to the U.S. wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
APRIL 2006
More than 11 years after it went into effect, the sting of
NAFTA is still being felt on both sides of the border.
Rarely has an international investment and trade agreement stirred such controversy and lasting animosity.
14
You Can’t Be All You Can Be If You Are Dead
APRIL 2006
By Merrily Davies
In 2001, a 670-page reauthorization of the Elementary submit the results to the Pentagon data base. A school A DEP recruit who decides not to enlist should write a
and Secondary Act was passed and soon became known can give the ASVAB test without having scores released letter addressed to the “Commanding Officer” at the
as “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB). In it was included a to local military recruiters, but usually school officials recruiting station where recruitment originally took
relatively short and, at the time, little noted passage are not made aware of this option or simply exercise place. It should address all of the following points:
which requires that school districts give military re- their personal discretion to submit the results. The high
cruiters personal details about all high school aged stu- school principal needs to take proactive steps to pro- a) It should state that he or she wants to be separated
dents including name, address, and phone number for tect student privacy. The school should tell the mili- from the DEP program.
the purpose of recruiting young adults into the mili- tary BEFORE THE TEST IS GIVEN that it is choosing b) It should give one or more reasons. The list of accepttary. Federal funding
“ASVAB Option 8”. If a able reasons for not going includes: conscientious
may be withdrawn
school chooses this op- objection, opportunity for continued education, a job
from districts that do
tion, students who opportunity, erroneous enlistment, failure to graduate
not comply. Moreover,
want their scores to go from high school, “family issues,” homosexual conduct,
there is a separate data
to the military can still medical or psychological issues, personal problems,
base collection, curpermit them to go to failure to report for active duty, and “other.” (The milirently being contested
recruiters on an indi- tary does not have the right to reject your reasons. Simas illegal, of informavidual basis. The mili- ply list them.)
tion on 16-25 year olds
tary provides a special c) It should be signed and dated.
such as cell phone
permission form for
numbers,
height,
such requests. How- It should be sent to the Commanding Officer at the reweight, birthdays,
ever, if a school does cruiting station where the recruitment occurred by
birthplaces, free lunch
not choose ASVAB Op- certified mail, return receipt requested.
information, major
tion 8 the results will
course of study, e-adbe
automatically Another option is to simply NOT SHOW UP on the
dresses, school attenhanded over for all enlistment date. (Note that “failure to report for active
dance,
ethnicity,
students. However, duty” is listed as one of the “reasons” acceptable for
awards, exit scores,
since there is little con- separation from the DEP program. If the enlistment date
etc.
Counter recruiting activists handed out fliers, talked to students, trol by families over is too near to send a certified letter, this would be the
which options are fall-back option.)
and were threatened with arrest at this job fair at Fresno City
RIGHTS AND PRIused, the safest course
College
VACY ISSUES
of action is for the stu- Recruits are sometimes told by their recruiters, “Just
With this go-ahead by
dent simply to refuse go ahead and go to boot camp, and the request will be
Congress, recruiters have easy access to a vast data to take this voluntary test.
processed during that time.” This is patently untrue.
bank of student information. Moreover, students can
Recruits need to realize that while they are in the DEP
be contacted at home by recruiters and pressured to DELAYED ENTRY PROGRAM
program they are still governed by civilian law. Once
join the military. As a result many parents and educa- ”It’s called the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program. they actually enlist they come under military law. Once
tors are becoming increasingly concerned about the Here’s your chance to join a group of motivated young enlisted, it is difficult or impossible, to get out of 8 years
likelihood that their children’s rights and privacy are individuals who are not only looking for a way to dis- of military service.
being violated.
tinguish themselves, but a way to be one step ahead.”
Marine Brochure
Additionally, it is important to stay away from recruitNCLB requires that school districts notify parents of
ers once the decision has been made. Recruiters have a
their right to “opt-out’ by requesting that the district Today, nearly all recruiting is done through the “De- record of using high pressure sales tactics and providnot release student information to military recruiters. layed Entry Program” or DEP. Instead of committing to ing misleading information. Dropping out of the DEP
However, there are no federal guidelines as to how par- immediate entry into the military, the recruit prom- program has no negative effects in terms of future ements should be notified of their right to restrict per- ises to report within a year on a specific
sonal information given to recruitment databases. Pub- date in the future. Within that time
lic awareness of the opt-out option is low, and often the frame, students receive special
only notification parents get is when it is slipped into mentoring physically and/or academistudent handbooks or newsletters where very few will cally, which motivates allegiance to the
see it. Some districts have their own “opt-out” forms military. This can include tutoring to
which are designed to help families protect students help them graduate from high school
from persistent military recruiters. Parents or students or running with them to prepare them
need to ask the district or school for this form, get one physically. Active service begins at the
off the Internet www.militaryfreeschools.org , or pho- end of the delayed entry period. The
tocopy the example given in the appendices of this ar- advantage to this strategy, from the
ticle. However, even a handwritten note is legal. recruiter’s perspective, is that a year in
the future seems like an eternity to a
The completion and return of this form or letter to the typical teenager. In the mean time the
district office serves as the parent and/or student re- new recruit can enjoy the enhanced staquest to withhold private information from the mili- tus of being committed to the military
tary. Students even have the right to opt themselves without experiencing the downside of
out, according to the text of NCLB. However, even if an this decision.
Military recruiters will promise you almost anything. Read this article to
opt out form is signed, personal information can be
find out what they won’t tell you.
obtained by military officers from many other sources: Many recruits in the DEP program
the SAT test, other students, student yearbooks, the change their minds, for various reasons,
phone book, etc. The students have a right to report but are led to believe, that they cannot back out of the ployment. A recruit who fails to show up for enlistany abuses to the commanding officer or school.
decision. This is not true. What is not well known (and ment has never really enlisted, so there is no discharge.
what recruiters will not tell you, and will probably
A few districts are dealing with the law by putting an deny) is that the provisions of the DEP program make it STOP LOSS
opt-out section on the mandatory student Emergency quite easy to request “separation” from the program. It’s tough enough to sell an 8 year military indenture to
Cards. Other responses by districts include sending For the entire history of the program, 100% of all sepa- young people. But it would be even more difficult if the
letters home to parents and requiring a response from ration requests have been granted.
“stop-loss” policy, sometimes called the “back-door
students (opt-in/opt-out). An opt-in policy sometimes
draft,” were mentioned. Recruits are very seldom inused by districts may state that student contact infor- Since the military is falling short of recruitment goals, formed of the military’s right to keep them or recall
mation is not released without parent consent, but however, recruitment is becoming ever more aggres- them to duty even after their eight-year obligation has
this kind of policy puts student records at risk because sive. Sometimes recruits are illegally harassed, misled, been fulfilled. In the case of Emiliano Santiago, he had
it does not conform to NCLB which explicitly requires and even lied to outright. For example, one student already completed his eight years in the Oregon Naan opt-out policy. Although student information is usu- whose parents had legally emigrated from China, en- tional Guard and was terminated. He was reactivated
ally given to the military in the early spring, the sooner tered the DEP program two weeks before graduation. under the Army’s stop-loss policy and was told that
district offices receive these forms, the better.
When he told the recruiter he had changed his mind, his new termination date would be in 2031. He will be
the student was lied to and told that his parents would in his fifties when he finally gets out of the military.
ARMED SERVICES VOCATIONAL APTITUDE BATTERY be deported.
(ASVAB)”The ASVAB is an aptitude test that will help
reveal your natural strengths.(it is) designed to help
school counselors and students discover where a
student’s skills and talents lay.” National Guard Brochure
The ASVAB is a voluntary test given by the military to
two-thirds of all American high schools at no charge,
and the results, by default, are turned over to the military for grading. Recruiters are then able to tailor their
sales pitch to the individual characteristics of each student. The ASVAB supercedes the opt-out form of NCLB,
and over 12,000 US schools administer the ASVAB and